Day 706 of 730

¹Praise Yah! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

²Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord, or fully declare all his praise?

³Blessed are those who keep justice. Blessed is one who does what is right at all times.

⁴Remember me, Lord, with the favor that you show to your people. Visit me with your salvation,

⁵that I may see the prosperity of your chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance.

⁶We have sinned with our fathers. We have committed iniquity. We have done wickedly.

⁷Our fathers did not understand your wonders in Egypt. They did not remember the multitude of your loving kindnesses, but were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea.

⁸Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power known.

⁹He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up; so he led them through the depths, as through a desert.

¹⁰He saved them from the hand of him who hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

¹¹The waters covered their adversaries. There was not one of them left.

¹²Then they believed his words. They sang his praise.

¹³They soon forgot his works. They did not wait for his counsel,

¹⁴but gave in to craving in the desert, and tested God in the wasteland.

¹⁵He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul.

¹⁶They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron, the Lord's holy one.

¹⁷The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.

¹⁸A fire was kindled in their company. The flame burned up the wicked.

¹⁹They made a calf in Horeb, and worshiped a molten image.

²⁰Thus they exchanged their glory for an image of a bull that eats grass.

²¹They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt,

²²Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome things by the Red Sea.

²³Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had Moses, his chosen, not stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, so that he wouldn't destroy them.

²⁴Yes, they despised the pleasant land. They did not believe his word,

²⁵but murmured in their tents, and did not listen to the Lord's voice.

²⁶Therefore he swore to them that he would overthrow them in the wilderness,

²⁷that he would overthrow their seed among the nations, and scatter them in the lands.

²⁸They joined themselves also to Baal Peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.

²⁹Thus they provoked him to anger with their deeds. The plague broke in on them.

³⁰Then Phinehas stood up, and executed judgment, so the plague was stopped.

³¹That was credited to him for righteousness, for all generations to come.

³²They angered him also at the waters of Meribah, so that Moses was troubled for their sakes;

³³because they were rebellious against his spirit, he spoke rashly with his lips.

³⁴They did not destroy the peoples, as the Lord commanded them,

³⁵but mixed themselves with the nations, and learned their works.

³⁶They served their idols, which became a snare to them.

³⁷Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.

³⁸They shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan. The land was polluted with blood.

³⁹Thus were they defiled with their works, and prostituted themselves in their deeds.

⁴⁰Therefore the Lord burned with anger against his people. He abhorred his inheritance.

⁴¹He gave them into the hand of the nations. Those who hated them ruled over them.

⁴²Their enemies also oppressed them. They were brought into subjection under their hand.

⁴³Many times he delivered them, but they were rebellious in their counsel, and were brought low in their iniquity.

⁴⁴Nevertheless he regarded their distress, when he heard their cry.

⁴⁵He remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.

⁴⁶He made them also to be pitied by all those who carried them captive.

⁴⁷Save us, Lord, our God, gather us from among the nations, to give thanks to your holy name, to triumph in your praise!

⁴⁸Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting! Let all the people say, "Amen." Praise the Lord!

¹Do not be envious of evil men; neither desire to be with them:

²for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about mischief.

³Through wisdom a house is built; by understanding it is established;

⁴by knowledge the rooms are filled with all rare and beautiful treasure.

⁵A wise man has great power; and a knowledgeable man increases strength;

⁶for by wise guidance you wage your war; and victory is in many advisors.

⁷Wisdom is too high for a fool: he doesn't open his mouth in the gate.

⁸One who plots to do evil will be called a schemer.

⁹The schemes of folly are sin. The mocker is detested by men.

¹⁰If you falter in the time of trouble, your strength is small.

¹¹Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter!

¹²If you say, "Behold, we did not know this;" doesn't he who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, doesn't he know it? Shall he not render to every man according to his work?

¹³My son, eat honey, for it is good; the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to your taste:

¹⁴so you shall know wisdom to be to your soul; if you have found it, then there will be a reward, your hope will not be cut off.

¹⁵Do not lie in wait, wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Do not destroy his resting place:

¹⁶for a righteous man falls seven times, and rises up again; but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

¹⁷Do not rejoice when your enemy falls. Do not let your heart be glad when he is overthrown;

¹⁸lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

¹⁹Do not fret yourself because of evildoers; neither be envious of the wicked:

²⁰for there will be no reward to the evil man; and the lamp of the wicked shall be snuffed out.

²¹My son, fear the Lord and the king. Do not join those who are rebellious:

²²for their calamity will rise suddenly; the destruction from them both-who knows?

²³These also are sayings of the wise. To show partiality in judgment is not good.

²⁴He who says to the wicked, "You are righteous;" peoples shall curse him, and nations shall abhor him-

²⁵but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a rich blessing will come on them.

²⁶An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.

²⁷Prepare your work outside, and get your fields ready. Afterwards, build your house.

²⁸Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause. Do not deceive with your lips.

²⁹Do not say, "I will do to him as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work."

³⁰I went by the field of the sluggard, by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

³¹Behold, it was all grown over with thorns. Its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.

³²Then I saw, and considered well. I saw, and received instruction:

³³a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep;

³⁴so your poverty will come as a robber, and your want as an armed man.